York County School DivisionInternational Baccalaureate

An Overview of the Pre- Diploma Program & IB Diploma Programme at York High School

What is the IB?

•An international non-profit organization that creates “challenging programmes of international education and rigorous

assessment.”

The IB’s Central Mission

“The International Baccalaureate Organization aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”

York High School: IB World School

• York High School was York County’s first IB World School

• YHS offers the Diploma Programme

• Up to 50 rising 9th grade students from York County are accepted into the Pre-Diploma program each year

The IB DP Curriculum Model

What This Means at YHS

Pre-Diploma Program• Grades 9 & 10• Studying IB prerequisites• Fulfilling graduation

requirements for the Virginia high school Advanced Diploma

• Successful completion leads to entrance into the Diploma Programme

Diploma Programme• Grades 11 & 12• Completing IB course work• Most courses are 2 years

long• Fulfilling IB Core

Requirements• Successful completion leads

to a Virginia high school Advanced Diploma and possible IB Diploma

Pre-Diploma Program

Grade 9 Classes

• Advanced English 9• AP World History• Advanced Geometry

or Algebra II/Trig• Biology I• French or Spanish (II

or III) or Latin I• Health/PE 9• Elective of Choice or

Economics/Personal Finance

Grade 10 Classes

• Advanced English 10• AP US Government• Algebra II/Trig or

Math Analysis• Chemistry I• French or Spanish (III

or IV) or Latin II• Drivers Ed/PE• Elective of Choice or

Economics/Personal Finance

Diploma ProgrammeGrade 11 Classes

• IB English HL 11• IB Biology HL 11 or IB

Chemistry HL 11 or IB Physics HL 11

• IB French SL/HL or Spanish SL/HL or Classical Languages SL (Latin)

• IB Math SL or Math Applications SL

• IB History HL 11• IB Geography SL or IB Theatre

HL• Elective(s)

Grade 12 Classes• IB English HL 12• IB Biology HL 12 or IB

Chemistry HL or Physics HL 12• IB French SL/HL or Spanish

SL/HL or Classical Languages SL (Latin)

• AP Calculus, AP Stats, Math Analysis, or Probability/Stats

• IB History HL 12• Theory of Knowledge• IB Theatre HL• Elective(s)

Requirements for Earning the IB Diploma

•Successful completion of Internal Assessments in each course

•Passing all IB Exams•Completing Core Requirements

The Core Requirements: CAS

• CAS: Creativity, Activity and Service – students are required to engage in projects that help them reach learning goals in the areas of Creativity (arts), Activity (sports), and Service (volunteerism)

The Core Requirements: TOK

• TOK: Theory of Knowledge – students take a unique course in which they study what it means to knowsomething

• A discussion and inquiry based course

The Core Requirements: EE

•EE: Extended Essay – students write a 4000 word paper in which they perform research on the leading edge of academic conversations

•Students begin work in Junior year and complete the paper in Senior year

Benefits of the IB Diploma

• The IB Diploma Programme seeks to create leaders who have the knowledge, skills, and understandings to be the leaders who change the world for the better

• Development of knowledge and skills in sciences, languages, the arts, and the humanities

IB students are more engaged in high schoolA 2009 study compared the academic, emotional and social engagement of IB students against non-IB students in eight IB high schools. It also compared IB students to non-IB students in a national sample.

“Across each of the domains of student engagement, IB students rated their levels of engagement more highly than non‐IB students. This held true for both the targeted sample of eight schools, as well as the national sample.”

On all measures IB students were more engaged in school than non-IB students.

IB prepares students for college success

“IB is well known to us as excellent preparation. Success in an IB programme correlates well with success at Harvard. We are pleased to see the credential of the IB Diploma Programmeon the transcript.”

Marlyn McGrath, Director of Admissions, Harvard University, USA

“The IB is a first-rate programme, one we are familiar with, and it prepares students well for a university like ours.”

Fred Hargadon, Former Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Princeton University

Colleges recognize the value of an IB education

“We know the quality of IB courses, and we think the IB curriculum is terrific.”Christoph Guttentag, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Duke

University“The rigour of IB Diploma requirements meets our recommendation for the strongest high school preparation possible. ... In sum, the IB diploma candidate who has met the challenge successfully receives strong consideration from the William & Mary admission committee.”

Allison Jesse, former Associate Dean of Admissions, College

Of William and Mary

Colleges recognize the value of an IB education

“In our minds, there is no more challenging curriculum than the IB curriculum. Not only does it prepare students for a demanding college program, but the IB curriculum also instills in students a love of learning and an understanding of the truly interdisciplinary nature of education. Instead of working on each subject in a vacuum, IB students are shown how each of their classes connects both with the other classes and with the world around them.”

• Thyra L. Briggs, Former Dean of Enrollment, Sarah Lawrence College

University Admissions Benefits of the IB Diploma Programme

• Overheard on a UVA admissions tour from the Dean of Admissions: “If your school has an IB programme, you should be in it.”

• At top universities, IB candidates are accepted more often than those not completing an IB education:• Stanford University: 15% vs. 7%• Duke University: 28% vs. 16%• UVA: 64% vs. 32%• UNC Chapel Hill: 63% vs. 32%.• (Information from I-Graduate.org)

Specific Credit Benefits for Virginia Colleges

•All Virginia public colleges offer credit for IB exams

•Students may earn enough credits to start as Sophomores

A Profile in Success

• The 15 students of the Class of 2019 reported nearly $1,000,000 in scholarships!

A Legacy of Success

• Some of the prestigious colleges attended by YHS IB graduates include: The College of W&M, UVA, University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Brown, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.

• A total of over $17,000,000 in scholarships has been awarded to YHS IB graduates.

What About the Present?

• YHS IB Students are involved in a wide range of athletic and extracurricular activities.

• For example, many of the SCA and Class officers are IB students.

• Current YHS students are cheerleaders, tennis stars, and cross country champions.

• More than anything: we are a family! We work & play together.

So how do I sign my student up?

• Make sure they meet the minimum requirements:• Enrolled in Advanced English 8 with a grade of

B or better• Enrolled in a high-school credit bearing World

Languages course with a grade of B or better• Enrolled in at least Algebra I with a grade of B

or better• GPA of at least 3.0 for 1st semester of 8th grade• Requirements are scaled for rising 9th & 10th

grade applicants.

Next Step: Get an Application

• From Middle School School Counseling Office or On-line (see the flyer for the URL)

• Complete forms including 5 teacher recommendations and a 250-word essay

• Submit all documents to current School Counseling Office no later than Friday, January 17, 2020.

The Application Process

•In February students have a personal interview with the IB Coordinator

•IB Selection Committee will review their documents

•Students will be notified in March if they have been accepted

Is IB right for my student?

• Are they naturally a curious learner?

• Are they willing to work hard to meet challenging expectations?

• Are they interested in independent learning?

• Are they interested in becoming a well-rounded student?

A Few Logistical Notes

•Students not zoned for YHS are picked up (usually between 6:15 and 6:30 AM) at their zoned high schools; in the afternoons, they are dropped off at their zoned middle school

•Students enrolled in the IB Programme must take the 6 IB Exams: the projected cost is approximately $700 split over two years

•Students must participate in Science Fair in 9th and 10th grades.

Compatibility of IB with Other Courses of Study

•Students in the Diploma Programme cannot be co-enrolled in Governors School for Science & Technology

•Students in the Diploma Programme cannot be in the School of the Arts after 10th grade year

•During Junior and Senior years, students have limited choice in electives due to scheduling; many electives are available on-line through Virtual Virginia

How to Get More Information

•Read the Information Packet and download the application

•Read the IB website – www.ibo.org•Talk with student’s School Counselor•Talk with the IB Coordinator – Dr. Kevin Valliant, 890-5014, kvalliant@ycsd.York.va.us